Bullying is defined in Section 37.0832 of the Education Code as a single significant act or pattern of acts by one or more students directed at another student that exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical:

•  Has the effect or will have the effect of physically harming a student, damaging a student’s property, or placing a student in reasonable fear of harm to the student’s person or of damage to the student’s property;
• Is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive enough that the action or threat creates an intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment for a student.
  
• Materially and substantially disrupts the educational process or the orderly operation of a school or classroom
  
• Infringes on the rights of the victim at school.

Bullying includes cyberbullying. This state law on bullying prevention applies to:

1.     Bullying that occurs on or is delivered to school property or to the site of a school-sponsored or school-related activity on or off school property.

2.     Bullying that occurs on a publicly or privately owned school bus or vehicle being used for transportation of students to or from school or a school-sponsored or school-related activity; and

3.     Cyberbullying that occurs off school property or outside of a school-sponsored or school-related activity if the cyberbullying interferes with a student’s education opportunities or substantially disrupts the orderly operations of a classroom, school, or school-sponsored or school-related activity.

Cyberbullying is defined by Section 37.0832 of the Education Code as bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool.

The following resources help identify bullying and can help students and parents work with the district in preventing bullying:

Texas Education Agency Coordinated School Health

www.cyberwise.org

www.cyberbullying.org

www.stopbullying.gov


If you have witnessed bullying on WCISD premises or at school-sponsored or school-related events, you can report bullying using the form below:

WCISD Bullying Report Form